Everything announced at Star Trek's SDCC 2024 panel

Star Trek: Lower Decks
(Image credit: Paramount)

Star Trek always brings the goods at SDCC, and this year was no exception. The hour-long panel featured announcements and trailers from Strange New Worlds season 3, Lower Decks' final season, Starfleet Academy, and (last but certainly not least) the Michelle Yeoh-led Section 31 movie.

Missed it? Or want to relive its best moments? Below, we've got a snapshot of the Star Trek SDCC panel's biggest reveals. Let's make it so!

Strange New Worlds season 3

Strange New Worlds is no stranger to pulling out the unexpected. You only have to look at its musical episode for evidence of that.

Still, the third season of the Star Trek series is ready to embrace the weird and wonderful once more. The first look sees the crew turned into Vulcan's, experiencing all the pain that goes with their trademark grip on emotions. Yes, they have pointy ears too. Expect more high concept missions with a premiere expected next year.

At SDCC we learned that Doctor Roger Korby and Scotty will appear this season. And apparently, as per our sister publication SFX's tweet, we'll see a side to Number One we’ve never seen before as she takes to the captain's chair for much longer than she has previously.

Lower Decks season 5

A trailer for Lower Decks fifth and final season was revealed during the Star Trek Comic-Con panel.

The opening 45 seconds of the trailer is a montage of the Lower Decks crew of the USS Cerritos and their galactic hijinks over the past four seasons.

A voiceover says, "Now you are invited to join them for one last adventure" as the USS Cerritos heads into warp drive. 

Tawny Newsome's Mariner disagrees, saying they "haven't even cracked one quadrant yet."

From there, quantum fissure envelopes the ship and an alternate universe/timeline version of the crew are shown, including Captain Freeman (Dawnn Lewis). Then there's a sizzle reel of upcoming missions, including a society burning all their prized possessions and - bizarrely - Jack Quaid's Brad Boimler hitting the slopes. Lower Decks, it seems, is going out with a bang.

Back to SDCC, before revealing the trailer, writer Mike McMahan said this final season is a celebration of all things Star Trek and Lower Decks, but that fans might not get the closure they are after. See SFX's tweet below for more on that.

Starfleet Academy

Ready for a dose of heartwarming Trek content? Starfleet Academy is the latest series in the franchise, and a video at SDCC revealed the reactions to several cast members after they found out they would be in the show.

As per Starfleet Academy's logline, the show "introduces a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism."

It continues, "Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."

At SDCC, it was announced that returning Star Trek stars including Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Mary Wiseman, and Robert Picardo are set to join season one and that only one cast member is left to join. 

Section 31

Star Trek: Section 31 | Teaser Trailer | Paramount+ - YouTube Star Trek: Section 31 | Teaser Trailer | Paramount+ - YouTube
Watch On

It's been five years since the Michelle Yeoh spin-off of Star Trek Discovery was first announced.

Since then, Discovery has wrapped up, but Section 31 still remains.

The first trailer, revealed at SDCC, charts Emperor Philippa Georgiou's beginnings as iron-fist tyrant through to Section 31 operative. The teaser (which also revealed a 2025 release window) is snappy and fun, galaxies away from the tone set by Discovery. You can watch it for yourself above.

At SDCC, Section 31 also got new cast members added. See SFX's tweet below for more.


For more from Comic-Con, check out the SDCC 2024 schedule. Then dive into the latest news with the SDCC 2024 live blog and Marvel SDCC 2024 live blog.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

With contributions from
Read more
Star Trek Discovery
Star Trek timeline: Boldly go on a chronological journey through the Trek universe
Michelle Yeoh in Star Trek: Section 31
The director of Michelle Yeoh's new Star Trek movie details how it's gone through "seven different iterations" over five years, with everything changing but two character names
Michelle Yeoh in Star Trek: Section 31
Star Trek: Section 31 cameo explained – breaking down the A-list appearance no one saw coming
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
Star Trek: Section 31
Star Trek: Section 31 review – "Michelle Yeoh deserves far better than this sci-fi spin-off"
Andor
Andor season 2 release date, cast, trailer, and more news
Latest in Sci-Fi Shows
The Death Star in the Andor season 2 trailer
New Andor season 2 trailer is an intense new look at the returning Star Wars show that sees the Rebels discover the Death Star
Severance
Severance star reveals the one finale moment that you may not have realized is "essential" for what comes next in season 3
Xenomorph in Alien: Earth
New Alien: Earth clip shows the last of another expendable crew
Adam Scott as Mark S and Britt Lower as Helly R in Severance season 2
There might have been another reason for Mark's decision in the Severance season 2 finale
Dichen Lachman as Gemma in Severance season 2
One Severance season 2 fan theory gives even bleaker meaning to Mark S's Cold Harbor mission
Xenomorph in Alien: Earth
Alien: Earth gets "suspenseful" teaser in behind-closed-doors showcase of Noah Hawley’s new sci-fi show
Latest in News
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening launches for $50 without a stay in early access, and while the survival MMO "will not have a monthly subscription" it will have "optional" paid DLC
Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton in Hawkeye
Linda Cardellini cast as Jason's mom, the original Friday the 13th killer, for Crystal Lake prequel series
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”